Harper: Rights for First Nations now!

To Prime Minister Harper:

As citizens united behind First Nations leaders, we call on you to engage with them this Friday, in a spirit of shared goals and values, and agree to a mechanism that gives Canada’s First Nations the power to block any laws altering their rights, land, water access, use and quality without their free, prior and informed consent. This measure is essential to ensure the rights of Canada’s First Nations people are fully respected.

Posted: 8 January 2013Harper just passed a monster law gutting protection for nearly all lakes and rivers but Chief Theresa Spence stepped up to stop him -- starting a brave hunger strike and galvanizing hundreds of thousands of people across Canada and the world. Now Harper’s caved, agreeing to meet with First Nations leaders this Friday, giving us a once-in-a-generation chance to push for real protection for their land, water and rights.

The government appropriates First Nations' lands, makes their water so toxic it disfigures children’s faces, and brutally underfunds schools and healthcare in their communities. But a real right for First Nations to approve all laws that affect their land and water rights could change this -- and there’s already an unprecedented national movement pushing for it!

If 50,000 of us join, our voices will be delivered directly to Harper before Friday so we can help give First Nations the power to make sure their rights aren't trampled on.